Nobel Prize Clutch
By Laurel McFadden
Staff Writer

The political scene of the twenty-first century is ruled by propaganda. Policies are considered in the vaguest terms possible, leaving most of us ignorant of the consequences of propositions passed and officials bought into office. On such a stage the leaders of today are expected to delegate justice to their own citizens, while maintaining flawless international harmony.

Those who succeed, however, in dodging the typical shenanigans of politics to devote themselves to peace occasionally have the honor of being recognized for their work through the Nobel Peace Prize. This award is commendable for avoiding the usual pretension associated with work done to promote most political schemes. The Norwegian Nobel Committee has a history of choosing candidates who, even when not the most well known or favored, unquestionably deserve recognition for their efforts in the name of peace.

This year the award went to the Iranian activist Shirin Ebadi. My hat is off to the Committee for daringly–and righteously–selecting an un-heard of Muslim female from the Middle East to represent the model of today’s peace-keeping efforts.

Ebadi is known for her work for the rights of women, children, and refugees, and is the founder and leader of the Association for Support of Children's Rights. She was the first female judge in Iran (although she has since been forced to step down) and has been jailed for working as the attorney for families of writers and intellectuals killed in 1999 and 2000. According to The Detroit Free Press, in working to reveal conspirators behind an attack by pro-clergy assailants on students at Tehran University in 1999, she has been often harassed by conservatives and members of the clergy.

Especially impressive about this selection is the fact that Ebadi beat favorites Pope John Paul II and former Czech President Vaclav Havel (as reported by CNN.com) for an award often associated with the household-name type of political figure. Guesses as to this year’s most probable winner ranged from U2’s Bono to President Bush, but the thousands of lesser-known activists like Ebadi were hardly considered by a public looking for a pop-star of peace.

Considering the global political atmosphere due to the United States’ stereotypically vague War on Terrorism, the move to select Ebadi, a Muslim, as a symbol of peace speaks to the Committee’s dedication to the true standards of activism. Not only is she only the third Muslim to be selected in the history of the award, she is the first ever Iranian Nobel Peace Prize winner. As a female, she stands in the clear minority amongst the disproportional number of males chosen to receive the prize. Choosing Ebadi is a spectacular move on the part of the Committee to demonstrate their separation from the blatantly biased politics of more self-indulgant groups and governments.

The decision not to choose the Pope or Havel for the award was fitting for today’s attitudes towards attaining world peace. Although both the Pope and Havel have made extremely significant contributions towards peace, as have all the nominees, their highly public images stand for definite political agendas that cannot cover a world of demands. Although Ebadi and her efforts cannot be expected to create total world harmony, she represents a more basic and personal effort to provide justice for the immediate problems in which she can make a difference. Activists like Ebadi are vital in persistently fighting for the basic rights of underrepresented populations. In the face of broader world issues, the tragedies that are considered relatively minor by large-scale politics have their legal battles fought by people such as Ebadi, often with the most limited recognition.

As a Muslim, Ebadi represents a culture that is both unfairly misinterpreted and misrepresented by a large number of people. The United States government has done little to avoid branding millions of people with fear-inspiring stereotypes. Ebadi has bravely ignored such boundaries and works with members of both secular and religious organizations to achieve a peace that goes beyond immediate identities.

In choosing a member of a relatively unpopular minority, the Nobel Committee has done its part to promote recognition of “world” peace, a cooperation between all cultures and nationalities and not simply dominant powers. The Nobel Peace Prize has once again proven its worth as an honorable recognition of genuine efforts to promote peace.